Monday 26 May 2014

3 Attributes on becoming Leader of the Pack in Authorship…

Leaders focus on their strengths. Take at least two or three areas you do well, and do them. Delegate the rest. You’ll not only find that things will run more smoothly, but you’ll also get a lot more done. For me, if I pump out 1000 words a day, I’m doing handstands. I usually focus on the time element and write about 3-4 hours. The rest of the day is networking, sharing what I’ve learned, and being a team player with other authors. I learn more from watching what successful writers are doing, and then I choose what I feel will work best for me.

Leaders are role models. Leaders are adept at that without even realizing it, so be aware and sensitive, choosing your words and behavior carefully. Remembering the Golden Rule—do unto others as you wish them to do unto you—is crucial, and will attract like-minded individuals into your life. Think about who your role model is and what it is about him or her that makes you want to walk in their shoes. The answer may surprise you!

Leaders possess integrity. Be a class act. Strive to become the kind of leader who acts with class, who becomes known as a class act, and who attracts other people with class to his or her sphere of influence. Integrity is all about the state of being complete in everything you think, say or do. The bottom line is to simply choose to live by a higher set of standards, and watch people respond enthusiastically toward you. Always remember that you’re special, and you count!

Monday 19 May 2014

Happy Victoria Day and High Fives to All the Winners…

Wishing all my Canadian cohorts out there a Happy Victoria Day! If you want to know some cool stuff about Queen Victoria, head over to Musa Publishing’s blog where I divulge some tasty bits about the short, feisty queen. Here’s the link: http://musapublishing.blogspot.ca/2014/05/victoria-day-we-are-amused.html
And now, I’d like to congratulate Rhonda Paglia as the winner of my Rafflecopter Giveaway held during the Children’s Book Week Kid Lit Giveaway Hop. Kudos, Rhonda, and don’t forget to time travel responsibly! Thanks to everyone who participated, I appreciate your support!
Now for the Goodreads Giveaway winners: Mark Wright won a signed paperback copy of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, and Darin Jones won a signed paperback copy of Legend of the Timekeepers. Congratulations to both the winners! And a huge thanks to all those who entered my Goodreads Giveaway!

Also, my thanks to all those who supported me during my 2 for 1 Musa Publishing Book Sale event held between May 1st and May 19th! Hopefully I was responsible for putting more smiles on reader’s faces. Hugs and Happy Reading!

Sunday 11 May 2014

Children’s Book Week Kid Lit Giveaway Hop…


Welcome and thank you for stopping by on your tour around the Children’s Book Week Kid Lit Giveaway Hop hosted by Mother-Daughter Book Reviews and Youth Literature Reviews.
What is Children’s Book Week?
Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running literacy initiative in the United States. Each year, books for young people and the joy of reading are feted for a full week with author and illustrator appearances, storytelling, parties, and other book-related events at schools, libraries, bookstores, museums, and homes from coast-to-coast.
For more information please visit: http://www.bookweekonline.com/
Babel Necklace
Now for the party part —I’m giving away a signed limited edition paperback of each of my novels The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, the first book in my middle-grade/YA time travel series, and Legend of the Timekeepers, the prequel to the series. Also up for grabs are signed trading cards, rubber wrist bands, a custom-crafted Babel necklace and a ceramic Spiral pendant.
Spiral Pendant
 BTW – this Giveaway is opened internationally, so everyone is included in this hop! It’s just one of the ways I’m celebrating the 2nd Anniversary Book Release of The Last Timekeepers series during the month of May!

Tagline and blurb from The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis:
Children are the keys to our future. And now, children are the only hope for our past.
When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.

Tagline and blurb from Legend of the Timekeepers:

There is no moving forward without first going back.

Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.

Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.
Good luck, and don’t forget to visit all the other blogs on the hop and enjoy more giveaway fun!
Terms & Conditions
§  This Blog Hop begins May 12th and runs until midnight May 19th, 2014. The winner will be announced on my blog the next day.
§  The winner will chosen by Rafflecopter
§  I will contact the winner via email and give the winner 72 hours to accept his/her prize.
§  Prizes as stated in—no alternatives will be offered.

ADDED BONUS: Since I’m celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of my Book Release, I’m having a 2for1 book sale exclusively at my publisher Musa Publishing, so if you haven’t had a chance to read my series, this is a win-win deal! But act fast, the sale ends May 19th!  I also have two Goodreads giveaways happening, so please go to this link and enter to win:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday 8 May 2014

Come Celebrate Mom...


Celebrate Mom with Musa Publishing
Grand Prize
$10.00 Musa Gift Certificate
6 Paperback Books
Beyond the Third Garden by I.J. Sarfeh
Outlaws by William Wendy
Seducing Kate by Emilia Mancini
Send Off For A Snitch by KM Rockwood
Typical Day by Gary K. Wolf
Unforgettable You by Marci Boudreaux

1st Place Winner
$5.00 Musa Gift Certificate 6 Paperback Books
The Andersen Ancestry by Addie J. King
For His Love by Nya Rayne
Outlaws by William Wendy
Seducing Kate by Emilia Mancini
Send Off For A Snitch by KM Rockwood
Typical Day by Gary K. Wolf

2nd Place Winner
5 Paperback Books
Outlaws by William Wendy
Seducing Kate by Emilia Mancini
Send Off For A Snitch by KM Rockwood
Typical Day by Gary K. Wolf
Wilder Mage by CD Coffelt

Plus
2 new winners are drawn daily. Each one will receive 3 books.

And
All participants receive a download of Cooking with Musa.
All entrants are eligible for Grand Prize Drawing May 10, 2014
Winners announced May 11, 2014
Enter daily to win!
No particular order to the daily drawings for the books below

Baiting the Hook by Mary S. Palmer and David Wilton
3.99 by Richard Satterlie
Amanda's Return by June Kramin
Buried Biker by KM Rockwood
Enter to Win by Kirsten Janey
ICE blue by Susan Rae
Lies in Wait by Donna Del Oro
Love Lies Bleeding by Lainie Giles
More Tomasewski by Del Staecker
Random Survival by Ray Wenck
Runt Wade by Robert G. Rogers
Steeled for Murder by KM Rockwood
Tales of Tomasewski by Del Staecker
Annabel Horton, Lost Witch of Salem by Vera Jane Cook
2012: The Rising by Joanne Hirase
Crazy Greta by David Hardy
The Dominus Runes by Peter Lukes
The Grimm Legacy by Addie J. King
Reunion by Joanna Fay
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners who reside outside the Continental United States will receive their prize in e-book format.

All must be claimed by May 15, 2014 or they are forfeited. Prizes will be shipped May 17, 2014.

Giveaway begins May 1, 2014 and ends midnight CST May 10, 2014

Wednesday 7 May 2014

Heads-up Reminder for Children's Book Week Kid Lit Giveaway Hop...

CBW Kid Lit Giveaway Hop 2014 - Banner - FINAL

Are you a children's book or teen literature blogger, an author, a publisher, or a publicist looking to share copies of a fabulous book? Mother Daughter Book Reviews and Youth Literature Reviews are joining forces to provide you with the opportunity to take part in a Blog Hop featuring links to giveaways for fabulous children/teen's books, gift cards, cash, or other prizes. What better way to celebrate Children's Book Week?


How Does it Work?

Dates: May 12 to 18, 2014

  • Posts must go live at 12:01AM (EST) on May 12, 2014
  • Giveaway must end on May 18, 2014 @ 11:59PM (EST)
(If using Rafflecopter, set your widget to end on MAY 19th at 12:00am)

Cost: FREE!

Prize: Children/Teen's Book and/or a Gift Card

If your prize consists of a book, it must be one appropriate for children/youth under the age of 18. You can also offer an Amazon gift card, a credit at the Book Depository, or PayPal cash as a prize (minimum $10) in conjunction with a book OR in lieu of a book, but your post MUST discuss children's books or literature. Links to posts just offering a gift card or cash with no mention of children/teen's books or literature will be removed from the linky list. If unsure, email me!

Posting Requirements:

Posts must be published no later than May 12, 12:01 am, 2014 ~ Posting early is ok. Posting late is not ok.
Your post must contain the following information (clearly visible):
  • Event Button
  • Giveaway Details
  • Links to the Hostesses (Mother Daughter Book Reviews and Youth Literature Reviews)
  • Giveaway Linky List
The event button, links to hostesses, and linky code will be emailed to you on Monday, May 5, 2014.
Please send me your direct URL once your post goes live, or if possible you can send me your permalink ahead of time. Failure to send me your link within 24 hours of the start of the Giveaway Hop will result in the removal of your link from the linky. If you send me the direct link after the 24 hours deadline, it will be added to the bottom of the list.

Adding a Link to the Linky:

To enter the Giveaway Hop, you simply have to enter the home page of your website followed by the country restrictions (i.e., Who can enter? US; US/CAN; WW; other). Once your post is ready you can send me the permalink as described above.

Deadline for Sign-Ups: May 9, 11:59 pm (EST), 2014

The linky will close and no additional links will be accepted.

Promoting the Kid Lit Giveaway Hop

We need YOUR help in spreading the word about the Kid Lit Giveaway Hop. You are certainly not required to do anything other than sign up if you wish to participate, but we would sure appreciate your help by either posting about the sign-ups, tweeting about it, or sharing the information within your circles or even popping the event button up in your sidebar. We are also happy to provide you with the full post HTML code if you would be willing to post about this sign-up. Just email Renee @ Mother Daughter Book Reviews. The more sign-ups the better for all of us!

Questions?

Please feel free to contact either Renee [renee (at) motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com] or Katie [YouthLitReviews (at) live (dot) com]. We are here to answer any questions you may have.

Sign-Up Below

You will be asked to enter the title you want displayed in the linky list (please add country restrictions in brackets), a link to your home page (or direct URL if you have it), and your name and email address.

* Like our fancy event banner? We used designbox1 from Fiverr to create it. Ask me about it!*

Monday 5 May 2014

Introducing MG Author Sara Shafer and her Bravest Squirrel Series...

When two squirrels moved into my attic, I went on a quest to figure out what they were doing. I knocked on the ceiling, and they scratched back. Imagining what they thought and felt, I wrote The Bravest Squirrel Ever. Because I had so much fun writing this book, I continued their adventures with The Bravest Squirrel in the Forest and The Bravest Squirrel in School.

You might say I went a little squirrel crazy! But here's the deal: The fears and emotions my squirrels face are the same ones that kids face as they start to grow up--feelings we've all had to deal with at some point. Reading about sweet, determined, plucky squirrels never giving up despite the tough odds against them, we can discover we're braver and stronger than we ever imagined, just like Pippi, Max and Lana.

The Bravest Squirrel Ever

Scared of thunder, lightning and being "flopped" by the humans, Pippi the squirrel wants to return to her mama’s warm, cozy nest. Instead, she and her siblings stumble on a better nest...in forbidden human territory.

The attic nest is too perfect to resist, and soon she is drawn into a dangerous game of teasing the people. When their teasing goes too far and puts their lives in danger, she is forced to abandon the perfect nest. However, she returns in order to rescue her brother. Instead, she becomes trapped inside.

With little food and the humans plotting her demise, Pippi must depend on her wits to survive, proving to herself and the world just how brave a little squirrel can be.

The Bravest Squirrel in the Forest

Everyone thinks Max’s sister is braver than he is, and he’s sick of it. He’s determined to prove he is the bravest squirrel ever. He devises a plan for the humans to trap him, so he can rescue his Uncle Louie.

But things don’t go according to plan. First, he is forgotten in the cage and sprayed by a skunk. Then he is dumped out of a truck and abandoned in the forest with a hungry coyote hot on his trail.

Max has to give up being brave and beg others to help him. When he has the chance to save Uncle Louie or risk his life to save a friend, suddenly Max discovers just how brave he really is.

The Bravest Squirrel in School

Lana has no interest in being brave like her brother and sister. However, she would like to be cuddled by a human, as long as another squirrel is nearby to keep her safe and rescue her.

But the plan goes horribly wrong. She ends up in a school bus full of children with no other squirrel to take care of her. Inside the school, she is discovered by a crowd of children who think she is a toy to poke and toss around.

With no one coming to rescue her, Lana needs to stand up for herself against the playground bullies and figure out a way to get back home. If she’s not brave enough to rescue herself, she’ll be stuck in school forever.

My mind is still racing with a lot more squirrelly adventures, so you haven't seen the last of my brave friends. Until then, channel your inner squirrel and be brave! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday 1 May 2014

Happy 2nd Anniversary to The Last Timekeepers series!


Anniversaries should be something we celebrate. Whether it’s for a wedding anniversary, a special event, or the anniversary of a book release people need to celebrate their milestones to see have far they’ve come in life. This upcoming May 18th marks the second anniversary not only for the release of the first book in The Last Timekeepers time travel series, but also for me as a debut author.

It took me a long time to get a publishing contract—thirteen years to be exact. I know nowadays, writers can whip up a story in the morning, create cover art, format their book, then send it out into the bookstore universe before the sun sets. That’s not my style. I prefer to be with a publishing house. I guess it comes down to the spirit, support, and cooperation I receive from being part of a team of authors writing under a brand name. Plus I don’t have to go traipsing across the internet to find an appropriate editor, cover artist, and formatter. I have enough to do with book marketing, creating an author platform, and building my back list. Yes, there have been growing pains in this business, but I’m in for the long haul, and want to learn all that I can to become a better author for my readers.

To celebrate my second anniversary, my publisher Musa Publishing is having a 2 for 1 sale on my books. Buy one, get one free! What a deal! And it’s only happening at Musa Publishing beginning May 1st and ending May 19th at midnight. So if you haven’t picked up an ecopy of either the first book, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, or the prequel, Legend of the Timekeepers, in this MG/YA series here’s your chance to save BIG!

Don’t have an ereader yet? No problem! There’s a Goodreads Giveaway going on for both my books during the same time period. All you have to do is enter for a chance to win a signed paperback! Bonus: I’m throwing in some signed trading cards too!

And please watch for the Children’s Book Week Kid Lit Giveaway Hop I’m participating in beginning May 12th and running until May 18th. I’m setting up a Rafflecopter chock full of prizes and book swag for this hop, so don’t forget to mark these dates on your calendars! Cheers and thank you for celebrating with me, and best of luck!



Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis by Sharon Ledwith

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis

by Sharon Ledwith

Giveaway ends May 19, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win


Goodreads Book Giveaway

Legend of the Timekeepers by Sharon Ledwith

Legend of the Timekeepers

by Sharon Ledwith

Giveaway ends May 19, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win